Lost Cause Diaries 3: When Friends Move On
by HPDrummerman
Summary: Over time, Lucy and Frieda's friendship dissolves into just mere acquaintances. As Frieda gets tired of Lucy's constant complaining and crabbiness, she looks to new friends to hang out with and even rekindle old friendships with Charlie Brown and the others.
1. Chapter 1

Lost Cause Diaries #3: When Friends Move On

**CHAPTER 1: ANATOMY OF A FRIENDSHIP**

Lucy and Frieda. While their friendship got off to a rocky start after Linus had introduced Frieda to Lucy, and Frieda seemingly having a crush on Schroeder like Lucy, they became best friends. In fact, everyone liked Frieda. She was a nice girl. She never relished in teasing Charlie Brown like the other girls did, nor was she ever mean to anyone, for that matter. And yet, she was best friends with the meanest girl in town, Lucy Van Pelt. They would often talk about many things on the ball field during a game, or even go to one another's house and hang out. In fact, the only one that Frieda had a problem with was Snoopy, Charlie Brown's dog. She had preconceived ideas about how a dog should act and what a dog should be doing. But aside from that, Frieda was well-liked by everyone, even the coldest of kids.

But as the gang began their freshman year at Sparkyville High School, things had changed. While Lucy and Frieda were still best friends at this point, Frieda was noticing a change in her friend. She had started gaining a substantial amount of weight since grade school, not to mention her attitude getting even worse than when they were young kids. The question wasn't "What was Lucy crabby about", it was more like "What wasn't Lucy crabby about". Linus was at his wits end with his sister, and all of the other kids that hung out with her was starting to get tired of her bad attitude. She even started having bad hygiene due to her largeness. She wasn't properly bathing at that point, and it turned folks away from her. She was a hefty 300 pounds by the time she entered high school. Lucy had to go to large women stores to find clothes that fit her large frame.

But Lucy's weight gain and bad hygiene was the least of Frieda's concerns. Her crabby personality had become even worse with age. Usually folks would outgrow something like that, but instead of getting better, Lucy was getting crabbier. And this particular day, Lucy was griping quite a bit, even for her.

"That little snot of a brother of mine ate the last bagel this morning at breakfast!" Lucy ranted. "I may have to remind him who's boss in the hierarchy of our family."

"Uh huh," said Frieda, rolling her eyes.

"And then Linus had the nerve to take the last strips of bacon!" Lucy continued. "The only thing that saved him a beatdown from me was the fact he did split the bacon with me. At least he's starting to wise up! Rerun needs some conditioning, though."

"You have a hard life, Lucy," Frieda said, sarcastically.

"I know," Lucy said. "Rerun also drank all of the orange juice! His excuse? He said he was a growing boy. But I told him that if he drank the last of the OJ again, I'd stunt his growth that he wouldn't have to worry about growing up!"

"Way to lay down the law," sighed Frieda.

"Thank you. Anyway, who do you have for first period?"

"I have Mr. Findlay for Science, and then…"

"HEY, BLOCKHEAD!" Frieda was interrupted by Lucy calling to Charlie Brown, who didn't look like he was interested in talking to Lucy.

"What do you want, Lucy?" asked a disinterested Charlie Brown.

"Who do you have first period?!" she asked.

"If you must know, I have Mrs. Hawley for History," said Charlie Brown.

"I hope you can have a decent grade in there for once, dummy!" Lucy said without a shred of remorse. Charlie Brown rolled his eyes. He wasn't getting hurt by Lucy's insults like he used to. He just wished that she would finally grow up for once, but that wasn't happening anytime soon.

"I also have Mrs. Hawley in first period," said Linus, walking towards his friends and sister. Because of his smarts, he was skipped a couple of grades that he was in the same grade as Charlie Brown and the others.

"Great, Linus," said Charlie Brown with a smile.

"Yeah, real great," sneered Lucy. "The Blockhead Twins, Charlie Brown and my little brother, in the same class. How sweet!"

"Bite me, Lucy!" growled Linus. As the years went, Linus had even less patience for his sister's antics than anyone.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" screamed Lucy.

"What the hell's going on here?" It was Molly Volley, Snoopy's old tennis mixed-doubles partner. She had been made Hall Monitor. "Van Pelt, harass your brother on your own time and find your class!"

"Fine!" sighed Lucy. "We'll finish this later, turd!" And she shoved Charlie Brown out of the way and headed to her class.

"See you guys later," said Frieda, sheepishly, as she went to her class.

"Thanks, Molly," said Linus.

"If she gives you any trouble, Linus," Molly said, "let me know. Even if she is your sister, I'm not going to let her pick on you. That goes for you too, Charlie Brown. If Lucy starts any trouble, let me know."

"Sure, Molly," said Charlie Brown.

"Well you two better head to class, as well," Molly finished. "No need for me to write you two tardy notices, even though you are friends of mine." And the two boys complied and went to their class to start the day.

**NEXT CHAPTER: MAKING NEW FRIENDS**


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2: RANDI AND JANET**

At lunch, Frieda was walking around the big cafeteria. She was carrying her lunch on a tray. Luckily, Lucy didn't have lunch that period, so she could meet some of the other kids at the high school. She noticed some sophomores waving at her. They were two girls. One was Asian with red streaks in her hair, and another was Black with blue streaks in her hair. She went over to talk to them.

"You're new here, aren't you?" said the Black girl.

"I am a freshman," Frieda said.

"Cool," said the Black girl, with a smile. "Care to join us?"

"Sure," said Frieda. "I don't see any of my regular friends in this lunch period."

"Hey no problem," said the Asian girl, "we like meeting new faces." And Frieda joined the two girls for lunch.

"So what's your name, girlie?" asked the Black girl. "My name is Randi. And this is Janet."

"My name is Frieda," the naturally-curly haired girl replied.

"Nice to meet you, Frieda," said Janet.

"So what do you think of Sparkyville High so far?" asked Randi.

"It's a pretty nice school," said Frieda. "The teachers are nice and I haven't had any problems so far."

"Cool," said Janet. "We're in 10th grade right now so this is our second year here."

"I see," said Frieda, with a smile. Charlie Brown and Linus had the same lunch as Frieda. They noticed that she was talking to her new friends.

"Isn't that Frieda talking with those girls, Linus?" asked Charlie Brown.

"Yeah it is, Charlie Brown," said Linus. "She can always make friends right on the spot."

"I wish I could make friends like that," lamented Charlie Brown.

"Chuck?!" It was Peppermint Patty and Marcie. "I was hoping we had the same lunch period! How are you, pal?"

"Pretty good, Patty," said Charlie Brown.

"Actually, I'm now going by the name Tricia now," said the tomboy. "I also dropped the 'Peppermint' name, as well. That was fine when we were younger, but now that we're in high school, time for a mature name. And no name is more mature than Tricia."

"We couldn't agree more," said Linus.

"So how are you liking high school so far, Charles?" asked Marcie.

"Pretty good right now, Marcie," said Charlie Brown, with a smile. "People pretty much keep to themselves and not bother you like when we were younger."

"That's great, Charles," said Marcie, who then kissed the blockhead on the cheek. She always had a soft spot for him.

"Watch it, Marcie!" warned Tricia.

"Just a friendly peck, sir," said Marcie. "What's that between friends?"

"Okay," said Tricia. "Anyway, are you in Phys. Ed., Chuck?"

"After lunch," said Charlie Brown.

"Great!" said a happy Tricia. "I'll see you there later!" And the two girls went to sit at a table."

"Tricia?" laughed Linus.

"Whatever works for her," said Charlie Brown. The boys found a spot to sit down at, when a familiar troublemaker decided to start in on them.

"Well, well, well, it's Charlie 'Frown'," the kid said.

"Good grief!" sighed Charlie Brown. "Thibault!"

"In the flesh, kid," said Thibault. "Still as pompous as ever, I see!"

"What is your issue with me, dude?" asked Charlie Brown. "Never once did I say that I was better than you or anyone else!"

"You didn't have to say it, Brown!" sneered the curmudgeon. "Just your condescending attitude alone speaks volumes!"

"Is he for real?" asked Linus.

"Zip it, nerd!" said Thibault to Linus.

"Try saying that to my face, asshole!" sneered Linus.

"I'm in your face, douche!" Thibault snapped back.

"Break it up, toad!" Molly Volley had showed up at the right time. "You've been a problem since you've got here! Maybe a trip to the principal's office will straighten you out!" And Thibault was ceremoniously dragged out of the cafeteria by Molly, much to all of the kids relief.

"I can't stand that kid," said an upset Charlie Brown. "He needs to be lobotomized."

"Amen, brother!" agreed Linus. "That dude ain't right!"

**NEXT CHAPTER: MORE "LUCY" PROBLEMS**


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3: SAME OL', SAME OL'**

After school, Lucy and Frieda were doing homework together at Lucy's house. Lucy was complaining about the amount of homework she had to do. Frieda pretty much let her drone on, as she was thinking about her new friends Randi and Janet. She was tired of the negativity of Lucy's life and wanted more positive friends who, while they would have problems from time to time, was not all doom and gloom with a dash of crabbiness. Lucy was her best friend, but she was the most negative person in town.

"Can you believe that bitch Mrs. Juniper gave us so much algebra to do?" Lucy ranted. "That leaves me no time to see my sweetheart, Schroeder."

"You STILL think he's in love with you?" Frieda thought to herself. "You are either in denial or delusional."

"And then that awful gym teacher Coach Drake," Lucy continued. "He said I wasn't working hard enough at running. It's too strenuous on me! I tried to tell him that, but he told me that working out would do wonders for someone like me. I asked him what he meant by that, and he sent me to the principal's office! Luckily, the principal let me off with a warning."

"Oh gee, I wonder why the coach said that to you," Frieda thought. "Maybe it has to do with your fat ass needing the exercise!"

"Oh, and my dweeb brother and that useless blockhead Charlie Brown were the coach's best pupils of the period," droned Lucy. "Have he seen Charlie Brown on the baseball field?! Or how about when he plays football?!"

"Okay, we were all awful on the ballfield, not just Charlie Brown," Frieda continued in her thoughts. "And as far as football goes, YOU are the one who kept pulling the damn thing away from poor Charlie Brown!"

"I swear this school, AND this town are filled with complete morons!" Lucy said finishing her tirade. "Violet's family had the right idea. Get out of Sparkyville at all costs! Don't you agree, Frieda?"

Frieda didn't even hear Lucy. She was trying to process why she hung out with someone as negative as Lucy to begin with. They were polar opposites. While Frieda focused on the good things in life, Lucy mainly focused on the bad. And Frieda was tired of listening to Lucy drone on and on about how life was hard and how people should think and act how she does.

"Earth to Frieda?!" said Lucy. "I asked don't you agree?"

"Uh, sure, Lucy. Sure," said Frieda regaining her senses. "I need to get going."

"But we weren't finished with the homework," Lucy observed.

"I remembered, I need to help my mom with an important project," Frieda fibbed. "I'll call you later, okay?"

"Uh, sure okay," said Lucy, confused. "Just don't let it be too late."

"Sure," Frieda replied. "Okay I'll see you later, Lucy."

"See ya, Frieda." And Frieda grabbed all of her belongings and left the house. When she was a safe distance away, she made a phone call on her cell phone.

"Hello, Randi? What are you up to? Care to do some homework together? You would?! Janet's there, also? Great! I'll be over in a few!" And Frieda made a beeline towards her new friend's house. She was tired of the same complaining from Lucy, and wanted a change.

**NEXT CHAPTER: DRIFTING…**


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4: FROM BEST FRIENDS TO ACQUAINANCES**

As the school year progressed, Frieda found herself hanging out with Lucy lesser and lesser. She was getting to know Randi and Janet much more and even started making other friends in addition to those two. She even maintained her friendship with Charlie Brown and Linus, only because they didn't like being around Lucy themselves. Towards the end, Frieda and Lucy were no longer best friends, but just acquaintances.

There was no big argument or slugfest. No tears or shouting. They just drifted apart. While they still talked to each other when they saw each other, they weren't close like before. Lucy had driven Frieda away as a result of her personality. And Frieda was hanging out with more positive friends.

At the end of the school year, Charlie Brown was having a get-together at his house with his friends. All of his friends had showed up. Silas, Charlie and Sally's father, was grilling hamburgers and hot dogs. They had also set up yard games for the kids to play. Snoopy even came out of his house, which had become even more rare since the death of Woodstock, but that day, he seemed to actually have fun for a change. Though they weren't going to get the foot-loose and fancy-free Snoopy the kids had become accustomed to. That part of him died with Woodstock. But he greeted all of the kids with a smile and something of a sparkle returned to his eyes seeing all of them there.

Charlie Brown also invited Frieda's new friends over, and even some of the other upper-class students that he befriended at the high school. When they arrived, Charlie greeted them.

"Welcome to my home," he said with a smile.

"Thanks for having us here," said Randi.

"I second that!" added Janet.

"Help yourselves to any of the food," said Charlie Brown. "We also have games for you to play." And Randi and Janet joined the party. Linus walked up.

"I see Frieda's friends showed up," he observed.

"Yeah, I wanted them to feel at home and part of the gang," Charlie Brown replied.

"That's admirable of you, Charlie Brown," said Linus.

"Unfortunately, I had to invite that bitch sister of yours," said Charlie Brown, trying to hold back his disdain.

"I understand, man," Linus said, sympathizing with his best friend. "Had you NOT invited her, you would have never heard the end of it from her."

"Exactly!"

"Well, Charlie Brown, many of our friends have had their fill of Lucy as of late."

"I know. Even the ones who get along with her are tired of her.

"Well I'll make you a promise today, Charlie Brown. Due to her weight gain, she's going to have ill health as she gets older. So if and when she kicks the bucket, you will be the first to know, as I will be the first to break the news to you. Deal?"

"Deal!" And both boys shook their hands on it.

Back in the backyard, Sally was carrying a load of soda to put into one of the buckets filled with ice. Schroeder took notice.

"Here, Sally," he said. "Let me grab that for you."

"Thank you, Schroeder," said Sally. "I don't know where Charlie went. He probably would have grabbed it if he saw me carrying it.

"It's not a problem, Sally,' said Schroeder. He noticed how Sally had grown. "You must have to beat the boys back with a stick, eh?"

"What do you mean?"

"You grew up to be quite a pretty girl."

"Well, thank you." Sally blushed. "I thought you didn't like girls."

"Well, I wouldn't quite qualify a certain fussbudget a 'girl', per se, more like a Banshee!" The two of them laughed. "I only told Lucy that I would live my life like Beethoven and stay a bachelor just to keep her from pursuing me. As you know that backfired, royally!"

"No kidding!"

"Lucy is a miserable human being. I could never love someone like that. No, if I was going to be with someone, they would have to have a love for life. And they would have to treat others with respect and not bring them down, just for the sake of bringing them down. And a love for classical wouldn't hurt, I do admit."

"Well you may find that lucky girl one day, Schroeder."

"Well, what about you? Are you still going after Linus?"

"No, I realized that he doesn't want to be with me. So I've moved on. It wasn't healthy to obsess over someone who didn't want to be with you in the first place."

"Maybe you should tell Lucy that."

"I think she's too far gone, Schroeder." And, as if mentioning her summoned her, Lucy waddled over to the two of them.

"Hey, sweetcakes!" she said to Schroeder.

"Lucy, we were just talking about you," said Schroeder, sarcastically.

"Hopefully good things!" Lucy cooed.

"Oh they're something all right," said Sally, rolling her eyes.

"Any plans for the summer, baby?" Lucy asked Schroeder.

"Well, I will be going to music camp for a month in July," Schroeder replied. "With the team no more, I have more time to do stuff like that."

"Well I hope you think of your Lucy while you're gone," Lucy said, making kissy faces.

"If I write a horror score while there, you WILL be my inspiration, trust me!" retorted Schroeder.

"Very funny!" scoffed Lucy. "Anyway, I await your return." And Lucy left.

"It's not until…"

"Let her think you're leaving now," suggested Sally. "She won't bug you for two whole months as a result."

"Good thinking, Sally!" said Schroeder.

Lucy went over to where Frieda was. She was chatting with Randi and Janet and having a good time. She decided to meet Frieda's new buddies.

"Well hello there," she greeted. Frieda looked nervous. She didn't want any trouble started with Lucy and her new friends.

"Hi, Lucy," greeted Frieda.

"Aren't you going to introduce me to your friends, Frieda?" Lucy asked.

"Sure. This is Randi, and this is Janet. Girls, this is my friend, Lucy."

"BEST friend," corrected Lucy.

"Nice to meet you, Lucy," said Randi.

"Likewise," said Lucy.

And Lucy continued to talk to Frieda's new friends. Luckily no fight broke out between them, but as far as Frieda was concerned, she had found new friends and she had even smaller time for Lucy's drama and crabbiness. Frieda had found true and everlasting friendship with Randi and Janet.

**THE END OF #3**

_**NEXT TIME, #4: THE HUMBLING OF VIOLET GRAY**_


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